Alabama wins 2020 CFP title behind DeVonta Smith's record-shattering first half

There was no answer for the Crimson Tide offense, which eclipsed 50 points for the seventh time this season in a 52-24 win over Ohio State. DeVonta Smith showed why he was Heisman Trophy winner, piling up 215 yards and three touchdowns in the first half while Mac Jones threw for 464 yards and five touchdowns.

Alabama has now won three national championships in the CFP era and 16 titles overall. Here are the final stats from Miami Gardens, Fla.

Najee Harris found the end zone for the third time tonight and Alabama pushed its lead out to 28 points. The milestone of this drive belongs to QB Mac Jones, who is up to 464 yards passing. That breaks the CFP title game record that Joe Burrow set in 2019 (463). On that completion, he tied Deshaun Watson's national championship game record with 36 completions.  Jones also previously tied Burrow's passing touchdowns record with his fifth score in the third quarter.

Ohio State cuts the deficit to 14 points, needing three plays to go 75 yards in 62 seconds. That was the kind of drive that can put Alabama's defense on its heels and gives OSU some confidence. Fields ran for 33 yards to set up his 20-yard touchdown strike to Garrett Wilson.

Ohio State came away with a big stop in holding Alabama's potent red zone offense to a field goal, keeping the game within three possessions after the Tide took more than seven minutes off the clock out of the break. Kicker Will Reichard converted a 20-yard attempt for the Crimson Tide's first points outside of the end zone.

It's worth noting that DeVonta Smith was not on the field for much of the drive.

If you haven't started a DeVonta Smith tracker yet, we're here to help you out. The Heisman winner just hauled in his third touchdown of the game on a 42-yard deep ball from Mac Jones. That brings the senior to 12 catches for 215 yards and three scores ...  in the first half. Smith's last catch gives him yet another milestone — the most receiving yards in one half of a CFP title game, breaking O.J. Howard's record of 183 in 2016.

OH MY DEVONTA SMITH 🤯

That makes THREE TOUCHDOWNS for the Heisman winner 🔥

— ESPN (@espn)

This is shaping up to be a potentially historic night for DeVonta Smith. The senior extended Alabama's lead with a five-yard touchdown, his 11th catch of the game. That breaks a tie with Clemson's Hunter Renfrow for the most catches in a CFP National Championship Game.

Smith also set Alabama's career receptions record with that catch and already broke the SEC's single-season touchdowns record earlier in the second quarter.

ANOTHER TD FOR DEVONTA 😤

— ESPN (@espn)

After Smith's milestone catch on the previous scoring drive it was time for Najee Harris to break a record of his own. The senior tailback scored on a 26-yard catch-and-run for his 29th touchdown of the year, giving him sole possession of Alabama's single-season record. Harris tied Derrick Henry with a rushing touchdown in the first quarter.

Ohio State was in danger of potentially going down 21-7 after punting for a second time in the half. But linebacker Baron Browning capitalized on pressure successfully brought against Mac Jones, stripping the Crimson Tide QB of the ball before recovering it himself. Master Teague III took advantage of the short field, punching his second score of the game from 4-yards out to pull OSU level again.

Teague will receive the bulk of carries the rest of the night as Trey Sermon is out for the game.

Well, that didn't take long to knot things back up. Ohio State marched 75 yards in just eight plays as running back Master Teague tied the game at 7 on an 8-yard scamper.We could see a lot of Teague tonight after starting running back Trey Sermon exited on the first play of the game.

OSU quarterback Justin Fields got the Buckeyes into the red zone with a 36-yard completion to tight end Jeremy Ruckert. According to the ESPN broadcast, Alabama ranks last among FBS teams when defending tight ends and OSU took advantage early.

Ohio State grabs six with help from Jeremy Ruckert 👏

— ESPN (@espn)

Running back Najee Harris capped a 12-play, 78-yard drive on a one-yard touchdown run with 8:07 left in the first quarter. The Tide had four plays of 10+ yards on the possession, including a 22-yard catch by Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith. Harris punched in the game's opening score on fourth-and-goal after finding a gap on the right side. Alabama ranked ninth in red zone offense coming into the game, scoring on almost 92 percent of the time.